Slain Soars Top

The Deaths in 2017 site lists under January 7

• Sir Bruce Slane, 85, New Zealand public servant, Privacy Commissioner (1993–2003).^[19]
• Mário Soares, 92, Portuguese politician, President (1986–1996) and Prime Minister (1976–1978, 1983–1985).^[20]
• Laurie Topp, 93, English footballer (Hendon)

Note the cryptic phrase their surnames make up: "slain soars top".   Note from their wiki pages:

• Mário Soares (7 December 1924 – 7 January 2017)
• Lawrence Robert "Laurie" Topp (11 November 1923 – 7 January 2017)
• Slane's wife Lady Penelope died on 28 December 2016, 10 days before Sir Bruce

On the February 7 wiki page using the formula we arrive at:

• 2000 – Doug Henning, Canadian magician and politician (b. 1947) 

Another addition to the recent "Hen Theme" pattern-cluster.

Douglas James Henning (May 3, 1947 – February 7, 2000)